Behemoth | |
---|---|
Canada's Wonderland | |
Location | Canada's Wonderland |
Park section | Action Zone |
Coordinates | 43°50′20.4″N79°32′26.3″W / 43.839000°N 79.540639°W |
Status | Operating |
Soft opening date | 25 April 2008 |
Opening date | 4 May 2008 |
Cost | C$26 million est. |
General statistics | |
Type | Steel |
Manufacturer | Bolliger & Mabillard |
Model | Hyper Coaster |
Lift/launch system | Chain lift hill |
Height | 70 m (230 ft) |
Drop | 69 m (226 ft) |
Length | 1,620.9 m (5,318 ft) |
Speed | 124 km/h (77 mph) |
Inversions | 0 |
Duration | 3:10 |
Max vertical angle | 75° |
Capacity | 1545 riders per hour |
G-force | 4.5 |
Height restriction | 137–203 cm (4 ft 6 in – 6 ft 8 in) |
Trains | 3 trains with 8 cars. Riders are arranged 2 across in 2 rows for a total of 32 riders per train. |
Fast Lane Plus only available | |
Single rider line available | |
Behemoth at RCDB |
Behemoth is a steel roller coaster located at Canada's Wonderland in Vaughan, Ontario. Designed and developed by Swiss manufacturer Bolliger & Mabillard (B&M), Behemoth opened to the public in May 2008 as the tallest and fastest roller coaster in Canada, a claim it held until 2012 when Leviathan opened at the same park. [1] Behemoth is similar to Diamondback (Kings Island) and Thunder Striker (Carowinds).
With its high speeds, tall heights and rapid changes in both direction and elevation, Behemoth is one of the most aggressive thrill rides in the park. [2] [3] It is also one of the park's most efficient, able to maintain a high hourly passenger capacity. [3]
The ride features a prototype seating arrangement to ensure an unobstructed view for every rider – a first for a roller coaster of this type. The ride lasts for approximately three minutes and subjects the rider to a maximum speed of 124 km/h (77 mph), achieved in less than 3.9 seconds. It features five air-time hills, a hammerhead turn and two helixes. [3] [4] [5]
Behemoth was announced on 27 August 2007. The estimated C$26 million ride represented the single biggest investment in the 27-year history of Canada's Wonderland. When completed, Behemoth became the 15th roller coaster at the park. [6]
After 17.5 months of planning and construction, steel construction of the track and supports was completed on 22 January 2008. [6] [7] [8] The ride was officially opened on 24 April 2008 for Media Day. On Season Pass Preview Night, the ride was open to season pass holders on 25 April 2008. Behemoth opened to the public on 4 May 2008. [9]
For the 2014 season, seat belts were added to the trains. [10]
Height, speed, airtime characterize the Hyper Coaster. [11]
— Bolliger & Mabillard
Behemoth is rated a five out of five (double black diamond) according to Wonderland's Attraction Rating System. This rating specifies that the ride will have "high speeds and/or heights, aggressive and unexpected forces and rapid directional or elevation change." [2] Passengers of any age must be 137 centimetres (54 in) tall to ride. [2] [7]
Behemoth has a high throughput and accommodates approximately 1,545 passengers an hour, making it one of the most efficient roller coasters in the park. [3]
Behemoth's three open-air steel and fibreglass trains feature a prototype v-shaped staggered seating arrangement to ensure an unobstructed view for every rider. [3] [12] This prototype design is a first for Bolliger & Mabillard roller coasters which was later reproduced for Diamondback at Kings Island, Intimidator at Carowinds and Shambhala: Expedición al Himalaya at PortAventura Park.
The trains are coloured red, orange and yellow, distinguished by their coloured fronts. Each of the trains comprise eight cars, seating four guests each for a total capacity of 32. [3] Each passenger is seated in a bucket seat restrained by a lap bar harness [3] [13] and a seatbelt, identical to Leviathan's restraint system. Some persons over a certain weight/waist size cannot be accommodated by this arrangement.
The steel track is 1,620.9 metres (5,318 ft) in length and the height of the lift is approximately 70 metres (230 ft). [3] The angle of the first descent is approximately 75 degrees. [3] The track includes trim brakes and magnetic brakes for smoothness. [13]
A two-storey sheltered station house contains the ride loading and unloading area. The ground floor of the station contains the maintenance area for the trains, equipped with radiant heaters. [14]
At the boarding area, the station features three colour-coded cabinets for loose belongings – one designated for each of the three trains. [15] The operator's booth is also located on this platform. [16]
Unlike most of the park's other attractions, Behemoth is one of the rides at the park to have a gift shop. The shop sells ride memorabilia and displays the photos taken during the ride. [17]
The ride features a prototype seating arrangement to ensure an unobstructed view for every rider. The Behemoth experience lasts for approximately three minutes and subjects the rider to a maximum speed of 124 km/h (77 mph) achieved in less than 3.9 seconds followed by five air-time hills, a hammerhead turn and two helixes. [3] [4] [5] After departing the station, the train turns right and begins to slowly climb the lift hill through the use of a chain lift, taking riders to the coaster's maximum height of 70 metres (230 ft). [3] From the top, a passenger can clearly see the iconic CN Tower [18] to the left and overlook the entire park to the right. The train drops from its peak at a 75-degree angle and reaches a maximum speed of 125 km/h (78 mph) in 3.9 seconds. [6] [3] [4] At the base of the first drop, the train banks a few degrees to the right and climbs the first air-time hill and descends. Following this, the train climbs up to a hairpin 180-degree hammerhead turn to the left. [4] The train descends from the height of the turn to travel up and over three more air-time hills. After the hills, the train climbs up a steep slope into the mid-course brake run. [4]
After the momentary reduction in speed, the train turns to the right and descends into a downward 540-degree helix. Immediately following the first helix, the train climbs into an upward 270-degree helix to the left. Following the climb is a small descent and a final hill. The train climbs up from the final hill into the terminal brake run. [4] The train waits at the terminal brake run until it is cleared for return by the station. The train proceeds forward and turns 180-degrees to the left to return to the station. [4]
Behemoth is one of the most popular attractions at Canada's Wonderland and it has enjoyed a great deal of success since its establishment. [9] The ride appeals to a wide demographic with park staff noting that both young children and senior citizens line up for the attraction. [7]
With the addition of Behemoth, we wanted to complement our already impressive line-up of more than 200 rides, shows and attractions with a world class roller coaster that will showcase Wonderland as one of the premier amusement parks in our industry. [6]
— Raffi Kaprelyan, Vice President and General Manager, Canada's Wonderland
The Golden Ticket Awards is an annual set of awards given out by Amusement Today , a newspaper published for the amusement industry. The rankings are selected by an international poll conducted by the newspaper. When Behemoth debuted in 2008, it ranked third as the Best New Ride of the year. [19]
Year | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2021 | 2022 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ranking | 29 [19] | 12 [20] | 13 [21] | 15 [22] | 17 [23] | 17 [24] | 15 [25] | 18 [26] | 24 [27] | 28 [28] | 27 [29] | 29 [30] | 38 [31] | 34 [32] |
Nitro is a steel roller coaster located at Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson Township, New Jersey. Manufactured by Bolliger & Mabillard, the Hyper Coaster model opened to the public on April 7, 2001. Since its debut, Nitro has consistently ranked high among steel coasters in the annual Golden Ticket Awards from Amusement Today, peaking in third place during its tenure.
Bolliger & Mabillard, officially Bolliger & Mabillard Consulting Engineers, Inc. and often abbreviated B&M, is a roller coaster design consultancy based in Monthey, Switzerland. The company was founded in 1988 by engineers Walter Bolliger and Claude Mabillard, both of whom had worked for Giovanola.
A hypercoaster is a roller coaster with a height or drop measuring at least 200 feet (61 m). The term was first coined by Arrow Dynamics and Cedar Point in 1989 with the opening of the world's first hypercoaster, Magnum XL-200, which features a height of 205 feet. The next hypercoaster, Pepsi Max Big One, opened five years later at Blackpool Pleasure Beach featuring a height of 213 feet (65 m).
Apollo's Chariot is a steel roller coaster at the Busch Gardens Williamsburg amusement park in James City County, Virginia, United States. The ride was the first Hyper Coaster designed by Swiss firm Bolliger & Mabillard. It officially opened to the public on March 27, 1999. This coaster is themed to the Greek and Roman god Apollo, who is the god of the sun, music, and healing. Apollo used his chariot to control the directions of the sun.
Alpengeist is an inverted roller coaster located at Busch Gardens Williamsburg in Williamsburg, Virginia. Manufactured by Bolliger & Mabillard, Alpengeist has an Alpine mountain region theme and opened in 1997 as the tallest inverted coaster in the world. The name "Alpengeist" is German for "Ghost of the Alps" or "Alpine Spirit", and the ride is themed to a runaway ski lift. It has the records for the tallest complete circuit inverted coaster in the world, tallest inverted roller coaster in the United States, and the longest complete circuit coaster drop in the world.
Nemesis Reborn, previously Nemesis, is an inverted roller coaster located at the Alton Towers theme park in Staffordshire, England. It was manufactured by Bolliger & Mabillard (B&M) and designed by Werner Stengel, from a concept by park developer John Wardley. It opened in the Forbidden Valley area of the park on 19 March 1994.
Kumba is a steel roller coaster located at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay in Tampa, Florida. Manufactured by Bolliger & Mabillard, the ride opened in 1993. It stands 143 feet (44 m) tall and has a top speed of 60 miles per hour (97 km/h). Kumba features a total of seven inversions across the 3-minute ride. It is Busch Gardens Tampa Bay's oldest roller coaster that is still operating, following the closure of Scorpion in 2024.
Superman: Krypton Coaster is a steel roller coaster located at Six Flags Fiesta Texas amusement park in San Antonio. Manufactured by Bolliger & Mabillard, the Floorless Coaster model opened to the public in 2000 as one of the first of its kind in the world. The well-received ride held the title for the world's tallest vertical loop from its opening until 2013. Superman: Krypton Coaster stands 168 feet (51 m) tall and reaches a maximum speed of 70 mph (110 km/h).
Raptor is a steel inverted roller coaster designed by Bolliger & Mabillard at Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio, United States. The coaster, which broke many records upon its opening in 1994, differs from previous inverted coasters. Instead of having a short layout designed to fit into a compact area like Batman: The Ride, Raptor was designed with a larger, 3,790-foot (1,160 m) layout, making it the tallest, fastest and longest inverted roller coaster in the world when it opened. It features six inversions, including a cobra roll, a first for inverted roller coasters. The ride is themed as a bird of prey.
Montu is an inverted roller coaster at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay in Tampa, Florida. Designed by Swiss manufacturer Bolliger & Mabillard, it is the park's second roller coaster designed by that company following the success of Kumba, which opened 3 years prior. When the ride opened on May 16, 1996, it was the world's tallest and fastest inverted roller coaster, a title it has since conceded to Alpengeist at sister park Busch Gardens Williamsburg. The ride stands 150 feet (46 m) tall and reaches speeds of 60 miles per hour (97 km/h).
Tatsu is a flying roller coaster designed by Bolliger & Mabillard at the Six Flags Magic Mountain amusement park located in Valencia, California, United States. Manufactured by Bolliger & Mabillard, it opened as the tallest, fastest, and longest flying coaster in the world on May 13, 2006. It became the park's seventeenth coaster, featuring a height of 170 feet (52 m), a track length of 3,602 feet (1,098 m), and a maximum speed of 62 mph (100 km/h). Tatsu also features the world's tallest pretzel loop and the only zero-gravity roll inversion on a flying coaster model. Nearly a decade later, The Flying Dinosaur opened at Universal Studios Japan in 2016, breaking Tatsu's length record and matching its speed. In its debut season, Tatsu was ranked 40th among steel coasters in the annual Golden Ticket Awards from Amusement Today, peaking with a rank of 28 in 2012.
Goliath is a steel roller coaster located at the Six Flags Over Georgia amusement park in Cobb County, Georgia. The Hyper Coaster model manufactured by Bolliger & Mabillard climbs to a height of 200 feet (61 m) and reaches a maximum speed of 70 mph (110 km/h). Prior to its construction, the Great Gasp and Looping Starship attractions were removed to make room for Goliath, which opened to the public on April 1, 2006. It ranked as the fourth-best new ride of 2006 in the annual Golden Ticket Awards publication from Amusement Today and the ninth-best steel roller coaster overall, with its peak ranking of fourth occurring in 2009 and 2011.
Goliath is a steel roller coaster at La Ronde amusement park in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Designed by Bolliger & Mabillard, it reaches a maximum height of 174.8 feet (53.3 m), a speed of 68.4 miles per hour (110.1 km/h) and a track length of 4,038.8 feet (1,231.0 m). Construction commenced in September 2005, and the roller coaster opened to the public on May 13, 2006. Goliath was the tallest and fastest roller coaster in Canada until it was surpassed by Behemoth, at Canada's Wonderland in 2008. Six Flags announced in 2016 that Goliath would be hooked up with Virtual Reality for a New Revolution experience for the 2016 season.
Griffon is a steel roller coaster located at Busch Gardens Williamsburg amusement park in James City County, Virginia, United States. Designed by Bolliger & Mabillard (B&M), the Dive Coaster model opened to the public on May 18, 2007. It climbs to a height of 205 feet (62 m) and reaches a maximum speed of 71 mph (114 km/h). It features two Immelmann loops, a splashdown, two vertical drops, and was the first B&M Dive Coaster to use floorless trains. Griffon was well-received by media and enthusiasts, and it placed third in 2007 in the category of Best New Ride polled by Amusement Today for their annual Golden Ticket Awards. Since its debut, it has also consistently ranked in the top 50 among steel roller coasters worldwide in the same annual publication, peaking at #19 in 2010.
Diamondback is a steel roller coaster located at Kings Island in Mason, Ohio, United States. Manufactured by Bolliger & Mabillard (B&M), the ride opened in 2009 as the first hypercoaster to feature a splashdown effect and the first B&M roller coaster at Kings Island. It is located in Rivertown just behind International Street and the Eiffel Tower. Diamondback was the biggest investment in Kings Island’s history at the time, costing $22 million to build, but that figure was surpassed in 2014 by Banshee. The coaster features a 230-foot (70 m) lift hill with a 215-foot (66 m) drop and a maximum speed of 80 mph (130 km/h). It is similar to Behemoth at Canada's Wonderland in statistics, layout, and seating.
Afterburn is an inverted roller coaster located at Carowinds amusement park in Charlotte, North Carolina. After more than two years of planning and construction, the roller coaster opened on March 20, 1999. The ride previously operated as Top Gun: The Jet Coaster, before it was renamed following Cedar Fair's purchase of Paramount Parks in 2006.
SheiKra is a steel Dive Coaster roller coaster at the Busch Gardens Tampa Bay amusement park in Tampa, Florida, United States. The roller coaster was proposed by Mark Rose, vice-president of design and engineering for the park, and designed by Bolliger & Mabillard. The ride was planned to be 160 feet (49 m) high, but the park's executives rejected this and the height was changed to 200 feet (61 m). SheiKra reaches a maximum speed of 70 miles per hour (110 km/h) and has a total track length of 3,188 feet (972 m). It first opened on May 21, 2005, and was converted to a floorless roller coaster on June 16, 2007, following the opening of its sister Dive Coaster Griffon at Busch Gardens Williamsburg that year.
Leviathan is a steel roller coaster located at Canada's Wonderland in Vaughan, Ontario, Canada. Located in the Medieval Faire section of the park, the Hyper Coaster model from Swiss firm Bolliger & Mabillard is the first roller coaster manufactured by the company to exceed a height of 91.5 metres (300 ft), putting it in a class of roller coasters commonly referred to as giga. At 1,672 metres (5,486 ft) long, 93.3 metres (306 ft) tall, and with a top speed of 148 kilometres per hour (92 mph), Leviathan is the tallest and fastest roller coaster in Canada, taking the records previously held by Behemoth on the opposite side of the park. As of July 2020, Leviathan is ranked as the seventh-tallest roller coaster in the world, the sixth tallest coaster by drop height, and the fourth-tallest traditional lift-style coaster in the world.
Wild Eagle is a steel Wing Coaster built by Bolliger & Mabillard at the Dollywood amusement park in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. It is the first of its kind in the United States and opened to the media on March 23, 2012 before opening to the public on March 24, 2012. The roller coaster reaches a height of 210 feet (64 m) and reaches speeds of 61 miles per hour (98 km/h). In September 2012, the ride was voted as the best new ride of 2012 in Amusement Today's Golden Ticket Awards.
Yukon Striker is a steel roller coaster at Canada's Wonderland in Vaughan, Ontario. Designed as a dive coaster from manufacturer Bolliger & Mabillard, the ride opened to the general public on 3 May 2019 in place of SkyRider, a roller coaster that was removed from the park in 2014. Featuring a height of 68 metres (223 ft), a length of 1,105 metres (3,625 ft), and a maximum speed of 130 km/h (81 mph), Yukon Striker is the world's tallest, longest, and fastest dive coaster, sharing its height record with Valravn at Cedar Point. Its four inversions and drop length of 75 metres (245 ft) also set world records among dive coaster models.